Fashion and Clothing Blog for Tall Women

“I used to wear heels because I wanted to show people I wasn’t ashamed of being tall. But I don’t wear them any more because you don’t have to wear heels to be beautiful. I can’t even remember the last time I wore heels.”

Truth be told, I never wear heels. I’m not embarrassed about being tall, but I have the kind of personality where I prefer less attention, so I prefer not to. I think tall women look beautiful in heels, but it’s just not for me!

I found the quote, by the way, on this Style Feeder post about the best combos for shoes and tall pants. Check it out!

Ugh, the girls at Amazona Style blog reminded me to post about a quote I saw from Blake Lively, the 5′10″ star of CW’s Gossip Girl. For those who don’t know the show, she’s thin, knock-out gorgeous, and is often displayed (on the show) in wardrobes that display her, erm, boobs quite prominently.

On talking about her “larger” frame, she said in a recent interview:

“I feel like a tranny a lot of the time. I don’t know, I’m … large? They put me in six-inch heels, and I tower over every man. I’ve got this long hair and lots of clothes and makeup on. I just feel really big a lot of the time, and I’m surrounded by a lot of tiny people. I feel like a man sometimes.”

Now, I actually can sympathize with her feelings, particularly as someone both 6 inches taller and two cup sizes smaller. Buuuut, as a celebrity and role model, you’d think she’d be a little smarter about not reinforcing these ideas. I mean, if she’s saying this, how does she expect her non-airbrushed fans to feel?

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve your looks is to have basics with really great details. That’s why I’m really salivating over these 37 inch inseam jeans with a braided belt. The fit looks pretty decent as well, probably will look best if the thighs are pretty tight-fitted. Anyway, check this detail shot out! Drool! Even with a basic, solid-color T, this would make a really nice summer look. It’s a little hippy, but in a subtle way (as opposed to, like, a flower patch on the knee).

is selling these for about $40. Anybody know if Alloy’s sizing runs small, large or true? I haven’t ordered in a while! Click the pants below to go right to the page.

So, I normally just talk about fashion here on Redwoodlings, but I wanted to point everyone to a website with some great discussions on living in the world as a tall woman. Over at The Tall Girl Experience, Kit blogs about the difficulties and joys of being a tall girl. Check it out!

Have you guys seen those Old Navy commercials featuring the mannequins? Is that the most annoying ad campaign ever run or what? I absolutely want to throw something at my TV every time it comes on.

Despite this, today I’m going to review Old Navy’s tall line of clothing, simply because I didn’t even know it existed. I think Old Navy must have snuck it in a couple of years ago, because I stumpled upon it recently and let a little squeal of excitement. Now, to be clear, Old Navy puts out some cheaaaap (and generally pretty boring) clothes. However, there are diamonds amongst this rough, so check out my favorites.

There are a ton of denim and pant options in the tall section, but I really love this dark-blue cuffed pants:

I sort of hate reviewing summer tall lines since most of the clothes aren’t particularly ‘tall’-specific, but Tall Girls UK has their new line out, so here goes. To start, if you’re into the long maxi trend, there are definitely some great summer maxis there. Maxi dresses don’t really work for me, but it’s nice that there are some options for tall women too:

Plus, another tall tight option, this time some long fishnet footless leggings:

Plus, check out this beautiful hooded tall robe. Love it!

Plus, lots of clever t-shirts with tall girls slogans on it, and some summer tops and cardigans. Happy shopping!

Want some fabulous designer jeans with long inseams for (relatively) cheap? Today’s your day! I just found out there’s a “Tax Day” sale over at Designs by Stephene (code - taxtime). Everything is 20% off today only.

Tragically, everything is still beyond my budget, but if you got a big refund and some job security, more power to ya’! Designer jeans always make your backside look great, but you should still be prepared to drop 150-200 bucks (oouuuuch!). They’ve got Hudson, J Brand, Joe’s Jeans and more in 36 and 37″ inseam (look in their left menu for the long inseam section).

Oooo! I’m loving the photos and ideas from Oprah’s feature, The Best Fashion for Tall Women. Too bad the majority of the women are 5′11″ — would have loved to see some taller women. Like all magazine shoots, the actual clothes are waaaay too expensive, but be sure to swing over for the slideshow to get some ideas. Here’s a bullet-point summary of the tall tips:

Oprah’s Fashion Tips for the Tall Ladies

High-waisted styles and wide-leg pants make a long torso look more in proportion

So, dresses are always a bit tricky for women with longer torsos — some styles fit us tall girls fantastically, and some will leave ya with bizarre fabric bumps all over. Generally, I find that stretch fabrics and wrap or pull-over styles work best, while stiffer cotton fabrics and fitted bodices — not so much. In particular, fitted dresses that have unforgiving seams in both the top and bottom are best bought in “tall sizes” or avoided all-together.

So, I really love the preppy-vintage-femme style of Joules Clothing, but without any tall options, it’s tough to decide about the fits. Here are three dresses that caught my eye. Below the pics are my thoughts on how I would evaluate these dresses for my taller torso.

So, these all have the advantages of billowy bottoms, the main question is in the fit of the three different upper styles.

First up, the gorgeous countryside white dress. It has a loose skirt and a mid-waist style — all good signs for tall bodies. Unfortunately, the “neatly-fitted bodice” may be problematic, since longer torsos don’t line up with average ones. Generally, the more regimented the stitching to accommodate the fabric around the breasts, the more likely you’re going to have weird fabric bunches. This one doesn’t look too bad in front — I’m more concerned about the waist being too high and lying on the lower ribs instead of the waist. If I got this, and was between sizes, I’d probably order up. I’d try this on if I spotted it in a store, but probably won’t be ordering it online.

Next up, the polka-dot number. I loooove the fabric, and the fact that it has an adjustable wrap top and stretchier material is a really great sign. Wrap-tops are excellent for adjustable fits. The one red-flag on this one is that the waist is designed to fit just below the breast (empire-style). I think an empire-waist is a fantastic look for taller women, but with our longer torsos, there is definitely some danger of this dress cutting you off mid-boob. I have a small-B cup, so I would consider giving this one a go, but only because I truly adore the print.

Finally, the navy number. We’ve got a mid-waist fit, soft fabric, and an adjustable wrap. Looks like a winner! I actually think this would fit me really well. I think love slightly puff sleeves (although I wish the sleeves were a couple of inches longer to balance my sinewy arms) and I love the attention-grabbing thick wrap bow up front. I’m not a personal fan of denim dresses though, particularly with those prairie pockets, but if this was in another fabric, I would grab it.

Phew! Shopping as a woman with an unusual body sometimes makes me feel like a hunter stalking exotic and rare prey (not that I condone that, I’m just sayin’).

I remember as a teen going to the mall and dragging 50 items into the dressing room, finding nothing that looked right, and ending up with some really ill-fitting clothes. Now that I know my fit, I can roll into a vintage or thrift store, go through the wracks with a clear eye of what works for me, and hit about 50% success in the dressing room. The more you know about your fit and body, the easier it will be! Happy hunting!